BRATTLEBORO, VT (MyKeeneNow) Brattleboro police have arrested a local man following an investigation into a reported incident at a protest on Main Street last month involving a suspected incendiary device.

According to police, officers received multiple complaints on Dec. 6, 2025, about a man who arrived at a protest in a vehicle and attempted to ignite an object while parked in front of demonstrators. Witnesses told police the driver appeared to be trying to light something protruding from what looked like a bottle inside the vehicle.

Police said the man stopped his actions and drove away after traffic behind him began honking and maneuvering around the vehicle. Based on witness descriptions, investigators believed the object may have been an improvised incendiary device.

Following a subsequent investigation, Brattleboro police arrested Oscar A. Whelan, 43, of Brattleboro. He has been charged with possession of destructive devices and aggravated assault.

Whelan is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Jan. 27, 2026.

As with all criminal cases, anyone arrested or cited by the Brattleboro Police Department is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.